1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to alertness enhancement and remote security monitoring. More specifically, the invention relates to systems for measuring and maintaining the alertness of video security operators.
2. Description of the Background Art
Video surveillance is one of the most reliable and most common methods for maintaining security in government and industry. Certain sectors, e.g., airports, retail stores and casinos, require continuous real-time human surveillance. Such ongoing surveillance is critically dependant on the alertness and vigilance of the human operators who monitor the video feeds and report actual problems and potential problems. Lapses in alertness and vigilance can result in both financial damage as well as physical danger to employees and customers.
The video surveillance industry is plagued by both the expense of real-time continuous monitoring and the mistakes due to lapses in alertness by the human operators. Accordingly, the present invention recognizes that there exists an urgent need for effective methods of maintaining operator vigilance, as well as economically managing human operators for maximum efficiency.
The prior art teaches a number of techniques for monitoring operator alertness. However, these techniques are limited due to their application to vastly different areas, such as, the control of vehicles and the operation of heavy equipment. In particular, Bowles et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,538, discloses a system for testing the alertness of a user prior to allowing that user to perform his or her job. The system taught by Bowles et al. is dependent upon several components which are inapplicable to the present problem, e.g., a comparison of a series of input data to a “passing data set”, an overall assignment of a “pass” or “fail” state, and a portable storage device for holding user data which either visually displays pass/fail status or can prevent access to machines or work areas.
In O'Donnell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,324, a method is disclosed for testing the ability of a human to perform necessary job skills. Again, the application areas are the operation of vehicles and heavy machinery, and the system is primarily useful only to those areas. Specifically, the system performs measurements of job ability based on a test consisting of a randomly alternating set of job-related tasks. The system taught by O'Donnell is inapplicable to the present problem because it is designed for measuring ability to perform a job task, rather than measuring alertness. Moreover, it tests job related skills rather than alertness skills, and it is dependent on two different types of alternating skill tests.
Lieberman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,882, describes a system for monitoring the vigilance of human subjects. This system does not address the issue of maintaining alertness through interaction, and is oriented towards ongoing monitoring of workers in the field. Moreover, this system utilizes environmental sensors and/or motion sensors as integral components, which are not appropriate or applicable to the present problem. One embodiment of the invention taught by Lieberman, evaluates performance using two types of stimuli and two switches with open and close states, which again is not applicable to the present invention. Another embodiment taught by Lieberman, is inapplicable to the present invention due to the use of stimulators and sensors rather than computer-based input and output, and due to the processing of a timing relationship between output and input, which is neither necessary nor integral to the present invention.
Another patent, Slomski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,539, describes a device for testing alertness and rate of perception. This device, due to its purpose of testing the rate of perception, is predicated on having substantially identical means of output to the user, with little or no variety, and having a predetermined length of a test, after which a user score is generated. These limitations are not applicable to the current invention.